Rest day #1 in Livingstone.
Quiet night at the campsite, although as expected, automatically woke up at 4:45 AM with my internal alarm clock.
Descended on the breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant at 7 AM, in preparation for 7:45 AM departure for whitewater rafting.
Getting our lifejackets, helmets, and paddles.
Our float was through the Batoka Gorge downstream from Vic Falls. We hiked approximately 250 m down to the river, and then at the end, hiked back out. We ran rapids #11 through #25 today, about a 17 km ride.
The river is running high this time of year, so we went through class 3 and 4 rapids only. Class 5 rapids are present only during lower river flows, when the rocks are more exposed to create more turbulence. The river in the gorge ranges from 20 to 90 m deep.
Our raft did not navigate “The Terminator” Class 4 rapids as elegantly as we might have . . .
. . . with this result. The water was actually quite warm. Our river guide had us jump in downstream later to bodysurf several Class 2 rapids.
Included in the price of rafting was a late lunch of a burger and fries, as well my first glass of ice water in Africa.
The rafting trip was bundled with a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River above Vic Falls with open bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres.
The Zambezi River above the Falls is wider and shallower, harboring hippos and crocodiles.
The bartender also dispensed lots of ice.
The Zambezi specialty cocktail.
During the almost 3 hour cruise, we saw hippos . . .
Giraffes . . .
Elephants . . . and other creatures, to include crocodiles, impalas, baboons.
“Sunset” portion of the cruise.
Quiet night at the campsite, although as expected, automatically woke up at 4:45 AM with my internal alarm clock.
Descended on the breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant at 7 AM, in preparation for 7:45 AM departure for whitewater rafting.
Getting our lifejackets, helmets, and paddles.
Our float was through the Batoka Gorge downstream from Vic Falls. We hiked approximately 250 m down to the river, and then at the end, hiked back out. We ran rapids #11 through #25 today, about a 17 km ride.
The river is running high this time of year, so we went through class 3 and 4 rapids only. Class 5 rapids are present only during lower river flows, when the rocks are more exposed to create more turbulence. The river in the gorge ranges from 20 to 90 m deep.
Our raft did not navigate “The Terminator” Class 4 rapids as elegantly as we might have . . .
. . . with this result. The water was actually quite warm. Our river guide had us jump in downstream later to bodysurf several Class 2 rapids.
Included in the price of rafting was a late lunch of a burger and fries, as well my first glass of ice water in Africa.
The rafting trip was bundled with a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River above Vic Falls with open bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres.
The Zambezi River above the Falls is wider and shallower, harboring hippos and crocodiles.
The bartender also dispensed lots of ice.
The Zambezi specialty cocktail.
During the almost 3 hour cruise, we saw hippos . . .
Giraffes . . .
Elephants . . . and other creatures, to include crocodiles, impalas, baboons.
“Sunset” portion of the cruise.
We upgraded to a room at the lodge tonight. It was the nicest hotel room that we’ve had on the trip so far. Today was a much needed break to get our posteriors off the bike saddles.
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